Benko Gambit: Fully Accepted Central Storming Variation
Benko Gambit — Fully Accepted, Central Storming Variation
Definition
The Benko Gambit, Fully Accepted, Central Storming Variation is a sub-line of the Benko Gambit that arises after White takes both of Black’s queenside gambit pawns and then challenges Black’s customary queenside pressure by rapidly advancing the central pawns—usually with the thrust e4–e5 (and often followed by f4). In encyclopaedic codes it is generally found under ECO A57-A59, with the most common tabiya reached after:
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bxa6 7. e4 — the move that signals the “Central Storm”.
Typical Move-Order
- 1. d4 Nf6
- 2. c4 c5
- 3. d5 b5
- 4. cxb5 a6
- 5. bxa6 g6
- 6. Nc3 Bxa6
- 7. e4 (Central Storming Variation)
Other roads to the same structure include 6…d6 first, or White inserting 6. Nf3 before 7. e4.
Strategic Themes
- White’s Plan:
- Build an imposing pawn centre with e4, f4 and sometimes e5.
- Use spatial advantage to complete development quickly (Be2, Nf3, 0-0).
- Launch a central or kingside attack before Black’s queenside pressure becomes decisive.
- Black’s Plan:
- Exploit half-open a- and b- files with rooks (…Ra8-b8 and …Rxa6).
- Chip away at the centre with breaks such as …e6, …c4, or ...f5.
- Coordinate the long-diagonal bishop on g7 with rooks to generate lasting queenside initiative.
- Imbalances: material deficit for Black (a pawn) vs. open lines, piece activity, and long-term pressure; central space and potential kingside activity for White.
Historical Context
The Benko Gambit itself is named after Hungarian-American GM Pál Benkő, who popularised 3…b5 in the late 1960s. The “Central Storming” treatment for White appeared in practice soon after the gambit became fashionable. Grandmasters such as Viktor Korchnoi, Ulf Andersson, and later Peter Svidler have employed it to sidestep Black’s well-mapped queenside play.
Illustrative Game
[[Pgn| 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1 d6 9.f4 Bg7 10.Nf3 0-0 11.g3 Nbd7 12.Kg2 Qa5 13.Re1|fen|r3r1k1/pp1nqbpp/3p1n2/q1pPpP2/4P3/2N2NP1/PP3KBP/R1BQR3 w - - 0 14]]Korchnoi – Krogius, Leningrad 1968. White’s central storm (e4, f4) gave Korchnoi a powerful initiative that eventually overwhelmed Black’s queenside activity—one of the earliest high-level demonstrations of the variation.
Modern Practice
The line remains a topical test of the Benko. In the 2020s, players such as GM Jorden van Foreest and GM Parham Maghsoodloo have revived it in rapid and classical events, often choosing 8. Nf3 instead of 8. Kxf1 to avoid early …Bxf1 ideas. Chess engines evaluate the position as roughly balanced, but practical results still favour the side that knows the typical pawn breaks better.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The central storm idea was once dubbed the “Front-Engine Approach” by British writer GM John Nunn, highlighting how White uses the pawns as a battering ram rather than passive protectors.
- GM Pál Benkő himself considered 7. e4 “the principled reaction” for White and devoted an entire chapter to it in his 1974 monograph, despite being the originator of the gambit for Black!
- Because the variation often leads to sharp opposite-wing play, it is popular in faster time controls where preparation can trump long-term structural considerations.
When to Choose the Central Storm
Opt for this variation if you:
- Enjoy dynamic central pawn play and are comfortable giving Black open files.
- Prefer clear plans over subtle manoeuvring—White’s strategy is straightforward: push in the middle before Black floods the queenside.
- Need a surprise weapon; many Benko specialists spend more time on the solid 7. Nf3 lines and underestimate the ferocity of 7. e4.
Further Study
Key resources include:
- Pál Benkő, The Benko Gambit (1974)
- Jan Pinski, Benko Gambit: Move by Move (2013)
- ChessBase Database search for games after 7. e4—nearly 3,000 encounters at master level.